


Two Whole Weeks?

by ToughPaperRound



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Chris deserves the world, Christopher Diaz is a National Treasure, Gardens & Gardening, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25493299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToughPaperRound/pseuds/ToughPaperRound
Summary: Buck and Eddie decide to use the Two Whole Weeks Chris is away at Camp to good effect.Hen thinks they could just have very loud sex for two solid weeks. But Buck's ideas for their time of freedom involve timber, paint, soil and three bottles of sunscreen. Each.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 43





	Two Whole Weeks?

**Author's Note:**

> In this pandemic-less Universe the guys are not together and nor have they realised that they flirt with each other. They're both at a stage where they think the other is hot and 'wouldn't it be amazing, but ofc they don't want ME'… Having said that, this fic is pretty low-key on the thirst, rated T probably. A few heart-eyes or thirsty moments maybe, but mainly this is about them working to a common goal and finding out more about each other, with a side-dish of everyone around them seeing/realising they are perfect for each other.  
> There is an epilogue, though!

"Eddie! Eddie! It says here that 'a daily routine of Play Activities are an essential part of therapy for kids with CP, with a positive effect on their physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Outdoor playsets can encourage children to stand, stretch, play, and climb to the limits of their abilities.' Sounds fun!"

"Sounds expensive, Buck," replies Eddie. "That's why Chris and I go to the park."

"Ooh look, Eddie!" adds Buck during the downtime on another shift. "This site has lots of different ideas for sensory bins. You know, like a sandpit, but with all sorts of things in it, always changing. It would be a great challenge, huh? And what about a chalkboard painted on the wall? Chris loves to colour."

  
  


Buck has been reading up on ways to make the yard at Eddie's house more 'Chris-friendly', as he puts it. 

He has noticed that whilst Chris has great fun with some park equipment, others he just can't use, or even get to, and it frustrates him. Same with the yard at home - the surface is not great with his crutches thanks to the random mixture of rocks, ruts and the previous owners' horrid stinky dog run.

The back door (from the kitchen) has broken steps which are difficult even for Eddie at times, and they get very slippery when it's wet weather. There's no lighting… in short, it's a no-go-zone. They tend to just ignore the yard and walk round to the garbage bins from the front door.

Eddie is aware how annoying it is, and he's also aware the yard is wasted space, but he just never has the energy to sort it out. If he ever does have any time for the garden, he has to spend it mowing the grass at the front of the house. Meh, it will happen eventually.

But... recently Buck has been nagging at him about how, if they worked together on something in their days off, they could totally make it a useable space again. He even started talking about it in front of Hen, Chim and Bobby, trying to get them enthused to come and help out. He's had very limited success so far since there are no definite plans.

He supposes it is something he should make a plan about soon, since the summer is a time for being outdoors. His son is very patient with him, he realises, when he recalls that Chris has only asked that once about what they could do outside. Thankfully Abuela has a pretty little space that is accessible, so he is not constantly relying on parks or the schoolyard for Chris' fresh air playtime.

Granted, neither he nor Buck knows much about it. But how hard can it be to make the ground safe, fix the steps, fit a light? And then there's the useless, wobbly fence down that side which the neighbour insists is Eddie's responsibility to fix. He honestly thinks a good breeze would surely knock it over. After that, he just has to finds ways to stimulate Chris' senses, activate his core and encourage balance exercises...

Okay, maybe it is more daunting than he has allowed himself to think about!

\---

When Buck cornered Carla one day when she was on duty at the Diaz house, he discovered he had an ally in her for his planning. She was fully on board, and full of information to back up what he had been reading already.

She was the one who pointed him to an online store for adaptive, child-sized garden tools, and they're especially pleased with a small watering can (with an easy lid to avoid splashes!) and a trug that Chris will be able manage along with his crutches.

Carla was the one who recommended a local supplier of a variety of materials for non-slip ground surfaces. Best of all, she even signposted him to a potential charitable grant body for some of the specialist equipment and materials. 

She also helped him think around how Chris' needs might change over the next 3-5 years. 

"And maybe there'll be another child to think of by then, eh, Buck?" suggests Carla.

Even though Buck does the cute head tilt, Carla refuses to elaborate on that one. She just smiles and pats his arm.

\---

Then the day comes when Eddie comes into work with a troubled frown. Buck has to wait till their first break between calls whilst Chim and Bobby are cooking, when at last Eddie shows them the leaflet for a Summer Camp that Chris is keen to attend.

"Whoa, whoa!" exclaims Buck. 'Two Whole Weeks away from home? Isn't Chris kind of young for that? I mean, what if something happens? What if he gets homesick?"

Eddie looks at Buck in disbelief. He's amazed that he managed to enunciate the capitals, and a little disappointed since he had really hoped that the team (and especially Buck) would be able to reassure him that camp was not as scary as it had seemed when Chris came home with the brochure.

"They even have this farm-to-fork program where the kids pick veggies and cook 'em for dinner."

Buck is exasperated now. "Well, that just sounds a lot like child labour."

But then Buck's attitude changes. "Mind you…" says Buck, as a different aspect of this plan strikes him, "Two Whole Weeks _could_ be enough time to get the garden done over, and then it would be an amazing surprise for him once he gets home! It could be just perfect!"

Eddie looks a little dazed at the turnaround, and at that idea. Chim attributes his dazed expression to the fact that Buck is trying to commit him to a lot of hard work. Bobby believes, rather, that it's because the tight lead-time before Camp starts gives them very little time to plan.

Hen, however, understands that it's because Buck just used the word 'home'. She looks back to her paper, shaking her head at their obliviousness.

"I know what _I_ would do with my time if I was going to be child-free for Two Whole Weeks," mutters Hen. "And it would involve a cosy double sun lounger and several Long Island Iced Teas, not long-handled shovels. The only leaves I would encounter for Two Whole Weeks would be the mint in my mojitos. But, 'You do you!'"

"What d'ya think, Eds? Better than worrying over Chris being homesick for two weeks? It will keep you busy. And then for the rest of his summer break you'll have a useable garden!"

Eddie was saved by the alarm bell.

\---

After that shift, Buck and Eddie stop off at a diner to get a meal together before Eddie has to go pick up Chris. They talk, about whether they can really do this work on top of their shifts, even if they swap some about, and even if they call in favours to get family and friends to help.

They talk about Bobby's offer to chat with Michael Grant about getting them some design advice. "He designs offices, doesn't he? What would he know about designing adaptive gardens?" ponders Eddie.

"Dunno man, he has some style. You seen their house?"

"Fair point… well, let's wait and see. After all, he might be too ill or too busy."

They also talk about money. Or rather, Buck talks about money. Buck explains that he has a trust fund from his grandparents that he doesn't have much use for, since he fitted out his apartment and bought his Jeep. He likes to donate at least the interest every year to good causes that his parents would disapprove of.

At Eddie's questioning eyebrow, Buck explains that he was thrown out of home when he refused to study law at the age of twenty - so now, every year on the anniversary he makes that donation. Last year it was the local PFLAG group, and his parents were furious when he passed on the receipt via their shared accountant.

So far this year, he hasn't got around to donating the whole amount, and he'd like some of it to go to the work needed to make a usable space for Chris.

Despite Buck's puppy eyes and common sense appeals, it takes another shared portion of fries and a milkshake each to get Eddie to come round to the idea. He insists that he must also get to contribute some, and that he oversee the budget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Just a quick note that I'm on a short holiday just now.... so I'll update further and post a banner art on my Tumbleweed when I get a chance. However, it is mostly written up.)
> 
> Eddie's house floorplan is being painstakingly plotted out by [here](https://theladyandthewolves.tumblr.com/post/623897898514628608/i-havent-made-a-lot-of-progress-this-week-on-the/)  
> and [here](https://theladyandthewolves.tumblr.com/post/626536915895828480/9-1-1-layouts-the-diaz-house-step-one-the-walls/) from @theladyandthewolves on Tumblr and it has been useful in imaging the outdoor space used here going forward… but I also tweaked the plan to suit my story, cos I'm allowed. The main difference is that I gave the Diaz family a teeny spare room cos I wanted it that way. (It exists in a separate pocket of space-time with an access portal just off the lounge, Louise, don't worry.)


End file.
